Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting scaling test for the Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher quality presets, but which transitions to a more balanced load as settings are lowered. The data shows a clear hierarchy of performance that allows for precise tuning based on a player's display and preference for visual fidelity.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark results indicate that the Ultra preset, while visually demanding, imposes a significant performance penalty that may not be justified on high-refresh-rate displays. At 3840x2160, Ultra yields an average of 57.6 FPS, which is 35.2% slower than the High preset’s 88.9 FPS at the same resolution. This stark difference suggests that the jump from High to Ultra is disproportionately costly. Similarly, at 2560x1440, Ultra produces 95 FPS, which is a 37.3% drop from the High preset’s 151.5 FPS. For users targeting smooth gameplay, the High preset offers the most balanced experience, providing a substantial improvement over Ultra without the severe frame rate hit.

For those with 1080p displays, the calculus shifts. The High preset delivers an exceptional 217.2 FPS, while Ultra still manages a very playable 138.6 FPS. Here, the visual gains from Ultra might be more palatable given the high baseline performance. However, the data suggests that the Medium preset is a strong contender, offering 240.3 FPS at 1080p, which is 10.6% faster than High. Given that Greedfall is a narrative-driven Action RPG, prioritizing a stable, high frame rate is often more beneficial than minor visual enhancements. The recommended path is to use the High preset as a starting point. If using a 144Hz or 165Hz monitor, High is the optimal choice across all resolutions, as it is the highest quality setting that consistently exceeds these refresh rates at 1440p and 1080p. For 4K, High is the only preset that eclipses the 60 FPS threshold, making it the definitive choice for that resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the best setting for a 4K display?

A: The High preset is the only option that provides a smooth experience at 3840x2160, with an average of 88.9 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 57.6 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for many players.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from High to Ultra?

A: The performance penalty is significant. At 1080p, the drop is from 217.2 FPS to 138.6 FPS, a reduction of 36.2%. At 1440p, it falls from 151.5 FPS to 95 FPS, a 37.3% decrease. At 4K, it drops from 88.9 FPS to 57.6 FPS, a 35.2% decline.

Q: Can this combo handle high refresh rates at 1080p?

A: Yes, the data shows it is more than capable. Even at the High preset, the average frame rate is 217.2 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of most high-end monitors. The Low preset reaches 306 FPS, showcasing the CPU's ability to push frames when the GPU load is light.

Q: Is the system more CPU-limited or GPU-limited in this game?

A: The benchmark data indicates that the system is heavily GPU-limited at higher settings. For instance, at 4K, the difference between Low (127.2 FPS) and High (88.9 FPS) is 30.1%, while the difference between High and Ultra is 35.2%. This large variance with settings points to the GPU being the primary bottleneck.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p on Medium settings?

A: The measured average frame rate for this configuration at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 165.8 FPS.

Q: How does the combo's performance at 1080p Low compare to 4K Ultra?

A: The difference is dramatic. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 306 FPS, which is 431.3% higher than the 57.6 FPS seen at 4K Ultra. This illustrates the massive impact of resolution and settings on the rendering load.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing for Greedfall. The GPU’s 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 896.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is likely sufficient for the game's textures at all tested settings, as no memory-related stutters are evident in the average FPS data. The card’s boost clock of 2452 MHz and its 8960 shading units are the primary drivers of performance. The data reveals a clear pattern: as resolution and settings increase, the frame rate drops in a way that is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario.

For example, at 1080p, the gap between the Low and Ultra presets is 167.4 FPS (306 vs. 138.6). This gap widens to 114.4 FPS at 1440p (209.4 vs. 95) and narrows to 69.6 FPS at 4K (127.2 vs. 57.6). This narrowing at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is working closer to its maximum capacity, and the relative impact of other settings diminishes. The RTX 5070 Ti sits in the 87th percentile vs. all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 52086 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, which has a deltaPct of 0. This suggests the GPU is a high-end part that is well-suited for demanding titles, but Greedfall’s Ultra preset still manages to bring it to its knees, particularly at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of the benchmark database, this combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti ranks 157th out of 1705 tested combos for Greedfall. This places it in the top 9.2% of all configurations, indicating a very strong performance tier. The CPU itself is a capable partner, scoring in the 93rd percentile vs. all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, has a nearly identical average benchmark score, with a deltaPct of only 0.2%. This means the i5-14600K is providing a top-tier processing foundation.

The high combo rank confirms the synergy between the two components. The CPU’s strong single-thread performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4642, ensures it does not bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios. The data shows that the combo is able to achieve frame rates that are competitive with much more expensive builds. However, the rank also reflects that there are 156 combinations that perform better, likely featuring higher-end CPUs or more powerful GPUs. For this specific pairing, the rank suggests it is an excellent high-end choice, but not the absolute pinnacle of performance.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K provides clear insight into the system's limiting factors. At the High preset, the average FPS drops from 217.2 at 1080p to 151.5 at 1440p, a 30.3% reduction, and then further to 88.9 at 4K, a 41.3% reduction from 1440p. This scaling pattern is classic for a GPU-bound workload; the rendering resolution is the primary variable affecting performance. The i5-14600K, with its 14 cores and 20 threads, is evidently not a limiting factor here, as the frame rates scale down consistently with the increase in pixel count.

The story is similar but more pronounced at the Low preset. Here, the frame rates are 306 FPS at 1080p, 209.4 FPS at 1440p, and 127.2 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is 31.6%, and from 1440p to 4K is 39.3%. Even at Low settings, which reduce the GPU load, the frame rate does not plateau, confirming that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller performance gap between 1080p and 1440p, as the CPU would be saturated in both cases. The data shows no such plateau, meaning the RTX 5070 Ti is the workhorse, and the CPU is more than capable of feeding it data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured average frame rates is as follows. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 306 FPS, Medium 240.3 FPS, High 217.2 FPS, and Ultra 138.6 FPS. Moving up to 2560x1440, the scores are 209.4 FPS for Low, 165.8 FPS for Medium, 151.5 FPS for High, and 95 FPS for Ultra. At the demanding 3840x2160 resolution, the averages fall to 127.2 FPS for Low, 99.9 FPS for Medium, 88.9 FPS for High, and 57.6 FPS for Ultra.

These numbers illustrate a consistent hierarchy. The gap between Medium and High is relatively small in percentage terms, for instance, 9.7% at 1440p (165.8 vs. 151.5) and 11.0% at 4K (99.9 vs. 88.9). However, the gap between High and Ultra is consistently large, around 35% across all resolutions. This suggests that the Ultra preset in Greedfall implements a significant graphical feature that is very demanding on the GPU. For players seeking maximum fluidity, the Low preset is available, but the High preset provides a superior visual experience while still delivering frame rates that are suitable for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p. At 4K, the High preset is the only one that provides a smooth, playable experience, solidifying its position as the recommended setting for this hardware combination.